Tour Stories/The Check-In with Joe Plummer

Walt Disco is a young stylish band from Glasgow. Over the last two years they wrote, recorded and self produced their debt album,  Unlearning   (Out April 1st on Lucky Number Music).  In this episode Joe talks with 2 members of the sextet, singer James and keyboardist/guitarist Finley.   James and Finely share the process of making Unlearning  , why they wanted it to sound "scrappy", how that forc...

Sam Tallent has earned his PhD in touring as a stand-up comedian, an author and drummer. He's been on the road since his late teens,  has a best selling novel and an ever growing career in comedy to show for it.  Joe and Sam discuss his current reluctance to become a parent, why it was good for him to be something other than a comedian over the involuntary break and what touring feels like now.  J...

Chris is the bass player for Jawbreaker.  After a 20 year hiatus and a 2 year pandemic break, they are back with sold out shows across North America. Chris tells us what he's been up to over the break, why he went the academia route, and why he ultimately abandoned it.  Joe and Chris talk the importance of snappy dressing, the regional rules of bagels and sourdough and Chris shares both his appreh...

This week Joe talks to Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker from the band Low.  They share both the difficult and productive experience they've had at home over the last two years and why the pandemic  effected them more than expected. They discuss the process of making their new Grammy nominated record Hey What ( out now on Sub Pop records), how the final sound was established in the writing process and...

Kassie is a founding member, singer and lyricist for Guerilla Toss.  In this episode Kassie and Joe discuss her life at home during the involuntary touring break, what happens when her "home life" and "rock n roll" life meet and why she's looking forward to getting back on the road and supporting Famously Alive  (out March 25th on Sub Pop Records).   Kassie shares how her close friend and collabor...

This week Joe has a vibrant conversation with Bonnie  Bloomgarden, singer, songwriter and founding member of Death Valley Girls.  Bonnie and Joe discuss the impact that touring has had on her life, how a recent tour has served as version of exposure therapy. and why the involuntary break has positively changed both her life at home and her perspective of life on the road.   Bonnie tells us how hyp...

Nile Marr is a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Manchester, England.  He's been making records and touring for most of his young adult life.   Though he grew up in Manchester,  Nile spent his formable years in Portland Oregon, absorbing the vibes of Modest Mouse, The Shins, The Thermals and other PNW rock n rollers.  When he's not supporting his solo efforts, he's on the road with Hans Zimmer...

This week Joe talks with Maria and Matthew from MAITA. They discuss the process of making their new record I Just Want To Be Wild For You (out February 18th on Kill Rock Stars), life in Portland Oregon over the last couple years and how a space heater contributed to their sanity preservation.  Maria explains why she see's loneliness as luxury and why it's precious to her.  Joe plays Road Song,  a...

Janet Weiss is a drummer, multi-instrumentalist and all around stand-up rock n roll human from Portland, Oregon.  In this episode Janet shares her experience making the new Quasi  and why it was important to be in  "touring shape" prior to going into the studio.   Joe and Janet discuss how her recovery from a serious car accident may have prepped her for the involuntary touring break most musician...

We have recovered the lost Mister Heavenly interview with Carrboro's finest journalist, Tim Dibbins.  As usual, Tim brings the truth to the surface,  stopping at nothing to get to the core of songwriting, inner band relationships and what makes Mister Heavenly tick as a powerful trio. We see sides of Nick, Ryan and Joe that have never been revealed and though at times  uncomfortable, this intervie...

Cedric Noel is a Niger born singer and songwriter living in Montreal, Quebec. His newest release, Hang Time   (out now on Joyful Noise Recordings ) is a lush mixture of melody, looped phrasing and ambient hooks.  In this episode Joe and Cedric discuss the power of interlocking melodies and rhythms, how ambiance plays a role in his songwriting,  the path of musical influence and why he may feel “we...

José Medeles is a multi-instrumentalist, a composer, a world renowned business owner (Revival Drum Shop) and a writer.  In this episode and Joe and José talk Marc Ribot, how his shop survived that last 2 years, the benefits of embracing "slowness" and why he may need to do "musical pushups" before certain listening experiences.   They also discuss his new book, A Drummers Ethos,  what gave him the...

Zach Blair is a seasoned guitarist and vocalist from Texas.  For over 20 years, Zach has been touring, writing and recording with various hardcore and punk bands, most notably, GWAR and Rise Against.  In this episode Joe and Zach talk recent touring experiences, the idea of identity loss during the involuntary rock and roll break, what real Texas is like outside the "island of Austin" and of cours...

Ken Andrews is a singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer and founding member of Failure.   In this episode Joe and Ken discuss the poison legacy of the Trump administration and the stress that comes with a politicized public health system.  Ken explains the major label debacle that is responsible for Failure's 1997 break up and why the band is a better a functioning unit in the reboot phase.  We h...

Johnny Marr is a guitarist, a singer, a producer and all around wonderful human.  If you've listened to the radio in the last 3 decades, you've heard Johnny.  He co-founded The Smiths,  he was in The Pretenders, The Pet Shop Boys, formed Electronic with Bernard Sumner, was a member of The The,  he was a Crib (The Cribs) , worked with Hans Zimmer on the 2021 James Bond theme, has produced 5 solo re...

Rob Crow is a singer, guitarist and founding member of  San Diego luminaries Pinback, Physics, Heavy Vegetable and Goblin Cock to name a few.  His newest effort,  PLOSIVS,  includes John Reis (Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes, Rocket From the Crypt),  Atom Willard (Against Me!, The Offspring)  and Jordan Clark (Mrs Magician).  In this episode Joe and Rob talk west coast hardcore, the process of making...

Nick Delffs is a singer and songwriter living in Boise, Idaho.  He has toured, recorded and is a founding member of The Shaky Hands and Death Songs. More recently,  Nick has focused more on his solo efforts and has found a home at Mama Bird Recording Company. In this episode Joe and Nick catch up on their time in Portland,  the significance of delay in both reggae and  their own music, and Nick sh...

Zak Sally is a visual artist and musician from Minneapolis, MN.  He is also the artist behind all the Tour Stories portraits.  He has recorded and toured extensively with the band Low and is a founding member and songwriter for The Hand.  Zak and has also written,  illustrated and published several graphic novels for his publishing company La Mano and Fantagraphics.  In this episode, Zak shares hi...

Charlotte Cornfield is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Toronto.   Like many other musicians she spent most of 2020 writing and eventually recording a new album.  The new release Highs in the Minuses (out Oct. 29 co/released on Polyvinyl and Double Double Whammy Records), is sonically simpler than her previous release, but lyrically still retains a space for personal reflection...

Steven Bamidele is a singer, songwriter and producer from the UK by way of his birth place,  Jebba, Nigeria. He is currently residing in North London.  His newest  neo-soul heavy EP Uncrowded  (Out 10.15.21 on Park The Van Records) is a reflective look at the world from isolation and his own identity as a person of mix-race during ever expanding BLM movement.  In this episode Joe and Steven discus...

Anand Wilder is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter.  After the break up of his band Yeasayer and the onset of a global pandemic, Anand felt it was time to buckle down and start and  finish and his solo record, I Don 't Know My Words  (out 2022 on Last Gang records). Not only did he record the record himself at his home in Brooklyn, he co-wrote,  acted in and co-produced a gorgeous vide...

Buzz Osborne is a founding member, singer and guitarist for The Melvins.  Buzz and The Melvins have consistently released a record and toured annually for over 30 years. In addition to The Melvins,  he has toured and recorded with Fantomas and released several solo records. In this episode Buzz tells us why Jon Spencer is one of his favorite guitarist and shares his philosophy on simplicity and ho...

John Schmersal is a songwriter, singer and producer. For the past 20 years he has recorded and toured as the guitarist and/or keyboardist for bands Brainiac, Enon and most recently, Caribou.  In this episode John shares his stories of a pantsless show and impromptu tailoring,   broken bass strings and how he pulled off an entire festival show without monitors.  Joe and John discuss the virtues of...

Pat Graham is an American photographer living in England, by way of Washington DC.  Pat began in the early 90's DC punk scene,  photographing Fugazi, The Make Up  and many other Discord and local bands.  He eventually made his way to another thriving scene, the Northwest,  working with a young Modest Mouse and documenting the Riot Grrl scene with the likes of Bikini Kill and Bratmobile.   In do ti...

Ryan Kattner is a singer/song writer from Los Angeles by way of Philadelphia.   He's spent most of the last two decades making records and touring with his bands Man Man, Mister Heavenly and his solo project, Honus Honus.  In this episode we hear how Ryans very first show led to being arrested and banned from a festival for life.    Surprisingly, , that and a few other wild  experiences he shares...